WWYD? Re: Flight times/Layovers/Airport/Aircraft

[kristenrice]

Option #1: Depart MCO at 4:00pm, fly a 757 to DTW and have a 67-minute layover, then onto an A319 to GRR, arriving at 9:00pm

...or...

Option #2: Depart MCO at 5:00pm, fly an MD-88 to Cincinnati and have a 45-minute layover, then onto a Bombardier Regional Jet to GRR, arriving at 8:59pm.

Considerations:
1) Delta Airlines in mid-October
2) 1 checked bag (max) and 2 small carry-ons...possibly only using carry-ons
3) 2 adults, no kids
4) No plans for departure day so extra hour at WDW is irrelevant

 

[elgerber]

I can't comment on the aircraft, but a 45 minute layover is tighter than I am comfortable with.

 

[charmed59]

I'm not familiar with Cincinnati airport, but I find that if the planes are on time I can get across most airports in 45 minutes. If the planes are running late, 67 minutes isn't enough.

If you take the Cincinnati option you might have to gate check any carryon that will not fit under your seat on the Bombardier. The overhead space on those planes is really just for coats.

Do you have status on Delta? Can you get seats near the front on either of those first flights?

 

[kristenrice]

I'm not familiar with Cincinnati airport, but I find that if the planes are on time I can get across most airports in 45 minutes. If the planes are running late, 67 minutes isn't enough.

If you take the Cincinnati option you might have to gate check any carryon that will not fit under your seat on the Bombardier. The overhead space on those planes is really just for coats.

Do you have status on Delta? Can you get seats near the front on either of those first flights?

No, I am a person of no statussince we fly only about once a year. I'm not the most comfortable flyer (I still get fairly anxious) so the MD88 and the CRJ are a little unnerving. I've actually been to both airports and I don't think that the connection will be a problem, assuming everything runs on time.

Since both flights are the same price, I am leaning slightly more towards the connection in Detroit, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking anything.

 

[cranbiz]

CRJ's are not bad planes and neither is the MD88. In fact, none of the aircraft types mentioned bother me at all. The 757 is a 3x3 seat arrangement in coach where the MD88 is a 3x2 seat arrangement. The CRJ is a 2x2 seat arrangement and the A319 is 3x3 seat arrangement. I have done 45 minute connections but would prefer the 67 minute connection.

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm not familiar with Cincinnati airport, but I find that if the planes are on time I can get across most airports in 45 minutes. If the planes are running late, 67 minutes isn't enough.

Sure, but they were boarding 20 minutes into that layover.

 

[MillauFr]

Is either of the connecting flights the last of the day? That would be my deciding factor. Wouldn't want to be stranded either place overnight.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Someone very familiar with the Cincinnati airport reporting in.
Maybe a 45 minute layover at CVG ten years ago might not be a lot. But Delta has downsized here. A lot. Now Delta is concentrated in one small terminal with two concourses. It's no more than a 5 to 10 minute walk from the between the two furtherest gates.
Spend the extra hour in Orlando, fly into CVG, have a light supper and help stimulate the local economy.

PS: Can you see I live 20 minutes away from CVG?

 

[sam_gordon]

I'd go with option #1. Here's my reasoning...

1) Leaving an hour later isn't a huge benefit to me. Yes, it's a little better, but not greatly.
2) The larger planes might have better in flight amenities (seat back TV's, overhead screens, the "radio" channels, and probably wifi- for a price). The two smaller ones might have wifi, but I don't see any way they'll have entertainment.
3) The 45 minute layover in Cinci doesn't "scare" me, but I'd prefer a slightly longer one... 67 minutes would be perfect.

I don't see anything wrong with the flights going through Cinci, but the ones going through Detroit "win".

 

[CarrieR]

I would go with option #1, because in the event the connection was missed/flight was cancelled, Detroit to Grand Rapids is driveable, whereas Cincy to GRR is not.

(OTOH Cincy is a hub, so perhaps more opportunities to get the situation sorted.)

 

[nacho113]

I'm going to chime in on the planes. Our flight on Delta in 2013 had us on one of there recently update A319's . It had the new slimline seats with the 29-30 seat pitch. I am so glad it was only a 3 hour flight segment, I'm not a big guy (5'9" and 190lbs) and my DW is only 5'2" and 120 and we both were feeling like we were being shoehorned into our seats. They shaved 2-3 inches from the seat pitch and an inch or so from the seat width, plus the cushions were pretty much bottomed out with my weight on them.
The CRJ's are a little older aircraft and always have decent seat pitch (32-33). I've flown these on several different airlines and they are not bad seats.
The MD88's have nice seating (seat pitch 31-33) as long as you don't get one that has been retrofitted with the new slimline seats (then it's a torture seat for anything more than a short haul flight- very claustrophobic)
There's a lot of variations of the 757, be warned many of them have been retrofitted with the new slimline seating, not a lot of fun for flights longer than a couple of hours. 30" seat pitch is just ridiculous in this day and age, the average adult is getting larger, not smaller.

 

[kristenrice]

I'm going to chime in on the planes. Our flight on Delta in 2013 had us on one of there recently update A319's . It had the new slimline seats with the 29-30 seat pitch. I am so glad it was only a 3 hour flight segment, I'm not a big guy (5'9" and 190lbs) and my DW is only 5'2" and 120 and we both were feeling like we were being shoehorned into our seats. They shaved 2-3 inches from the seat pitch and an inch or so from the seat width, plus the cushions were pretty much bottomed out with my weight on them.
The CRJ's are a little older aircraft and always have decent seat pitch (32-33). I've flown these on several different airlines and they are not bad seats.
The MD88's have nice seating (seat pitch 31-33) as long as you don't get one that has been retrofitted with the new slimline seats (then it's a torture seat for anything more than a short haul flight- very claustrophobic)
There's a lot of variations of the 757, be warned many of them have been retrofitted with the new slimline seating, not a lot of fun for flights longer than a couple of hours. 30" seat pitch is just ridiculous in this day and age, the average adult is getting larger, not smaller.

Thank you for the great description. As as infrequent flyer, I don't tend to pay too much attention to the aircraft seats until I sit in them.

 

[DebbieB]

I have connected with Delta through both airports, I would go with #1. A longer layover is more relaxing and DTW has a lot of food options if you want to pickup something to eat. CRJ's can be tight. Plus Delta has more traffic into DTW in case of delays.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I'm going to chime in on the planes. Our flight on Delta in 2013 had us on one of there recently update A319's . It had the new slimline seats with the 29-30 seat pitch. I am so glad it was only a 3 hour flight segment, I'm not a big guy (5'9" and 190lbs) and my DW is only 5'2" and 120 and we both were feeling like we were being shoehorned into our seats. They shaved 2-3 inches from the seat pitch and an inch or so from the seat width, plus the cushions were pretty much bottomed out with my weight on them.
.....

Yes, slimline seats are horribly uncomfortable. Unfortunately, many airlines are using them these days.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have connected with Delta through both airports, I would go with #1. A longer layover is more relaxing and DTW has a lot of food options if you want to pickup something to eat. CRJ's can be tight. Plus Delta has more traffic into DTW in case of delays.

This exactly!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I try to avoid any connections of less than one hour. If the connection is to the last flight of the day, I prefer at least 90 minutes.

IF the first segment leaves on time and there are no unusual weather conditions, a 45-minute domestic connection involving a single airline is fine at just about any airport in the United States.

But even a modest delay of the first segment can cause you to miss your connection.

Of course, if the first segment is severely delayed, then you've missed your connection anyway.

A big advantage of the 4:00 p.m. itinerary from MCO is that if it appears likely that those flights won't get you to your destination that evening, then the gate agent can move you to the 5:00 p.m. itinerary (based on availability).

 

[winthropf]

If you fly on the MD-88, try to stay away from the seats at the rear of the plane. The engines are attached to the body of the plane and not under the wings. If you have the seat just inside from the engines, it will be very loud. CR-J is also attached to the body, but behind the seating area.